1900 to 1909 Kentucky Derby Stories and Winners
Lieut. Gibson Ran Speedy 1900 Derby, Wintergreen Carried Ohio Hope
Apr 24, 2009
A Thoroughbred traveling an eighth of a mile in twelve seconds in a racing competition completes an outstanding feat. Knocking off twelve eighths, or running each eighth (one furlong) of a mile in :12 throughout a 1-1/4 miles race is today's standard by which Thoroughbred speed is measured. Twelve seconds for each eighth of a mile is flying, and few Thoroughbreds have the wings to maintain that speed in ten furlongs.
Yet, Lieut. Gibson in 1900 blitzed through his fourth eighth in :12-1/4, giving him the half in :48. His total time for the Derby that year was 2:06-1/4, a new record.
In 1900, that was fast. It wasn't until the 1950s that Thoroughbreds began to run the Derby regularly in under 2:04. Only Secretariat, the record speed holder from 1973 (1:59-2/5), and Monarchos (1:59.97 in 2001) have broken the 2:00 mile in Thoroughbred racing.
Kentucky Derby Winners 1900 to 1909
- 1900 --- Lieut. Gibson ----- trainer, Charles H. Hughes; jockey, J. Boland
- 1901 --- His Eminence ----- F.B. Van Meter --- Jimmy Winkfield
- 1902 --- Alan-a-Dale ----- Thomas C. McDowell --- Jimmy Winkfield
- 1903 --- Judge Himes ----- J.P. Mayberry --- H. Booker
- 1904 --- Elwood ----- C.E. Durnell --- Frank Prior
- 1905 --- Agile ----- Robert Tucker --- Jack Martin
- 1906 --- Sir Huon ----- Peter Coyne --- Roscoe Troxler
- 1907 --- Pink Star ----- W.H. Fizer --- A. Minder
- 1908 --- Stone Street ----- J.W. Hall --- A. Pickens
- 1909 --- Wintergreen ----- Charles Mack --- Vincent Powers
Wintergreen Brings Roses to Ohio Owner
Bred in Ohio by J.B. "Rome" Respess, Wintergreen was foaled by Winter and sired by Dick Welles, two proven Thoroughbred racers. His great-grandparents traced to foreign bloodstock.
Respess, convinced Wintergreen was his Derby colt, spent the next three years after Wintergreen's birth nurturing the bay colt to full potential with trainer Charles Mack. Wintergreen did not disappoint. He won the roses with four lengths to spare.
Tales From the Kentucky Derby 1900 to 1909
Second, third, and fourth place finishers in the 1908 Kentucky Derby each lined up a head in front of one another, but they all trailed Stone Street, who licked the field by three lengths.
Three competitors approached the starting position in the 1905 Derby, comprising the smallest field since the eighteenth running of the roses in 1892.
Winner of just $950 in a juvenile season of one win, two seconds, and one third from seventeen starts, Elwood was unfailingly the pride and joy of Mrs. J.B. Prather, Thoroughbred racing's first female breeder. Elwood stayed by a half length in the 1904 Derby stretch and expanded Mrs. Prather's pride.
Alan-a-Dale barely got a nose in front at the 1902 Derby finish line before pulling up lame. (He recovered and raced for three more seasons.)
Though well-pedigreed and successful as a juvenile, Sir Huon had no starts in his three-year-old season prior to 1906's Derby.
